The invention is related to gaming and, in particular, to methods of filling jackpots and awarding jackpots by a gaming device.
From the German Application DE199 29 865 A1, a coin-operated amusement machine is known comprising a symbol display device and jackpots that are filled with a certain percentage of the bet. Two jackpots are filled with a different percentage of the bet. The amount of the jackpot with the lower percentage is shown on a display. If the displayed jackpot is triggered, a randomly determined amount of the second jackpot is used to fill the triggered jackpot. After the displayed jackpot is triggered, it is not apparent to the player that just a few games later another jackpot can be triggered again. Accordingly, after the jackpot is triggered, the player normally ceases to play the amusement machine.
From the Australian Patent AU-B-81957/87, a poker machine is known wherein the symbol combinations of each pay line are evaluated from left to right and from right to left. The amount of the bet determines the number of pay lines that are evaluated. The bet per line can be up to three credits. The player can increase the award only by increasing her bet. An additional award like a jackpot is not described in the Australian Patent.
In view of the above-described devices, it is the purpose of the present invention to increase the player""s satisfaction and to increase the tension of the game. In one embodiment, the game is of the type that randomly displays combinations of symbols using, for example, motor-driven reels or video reels.
In one embodiment of the invention, there is a first jackpot A associated with all pay lines that are evaluated from left to right and a second jackpot B associated with all pay lines that are evaluated from right to left. The amounts in both jackpots are displayed to the player. With a maximum bet (or for a particular high bet), either or both jackpots A and jackpot B can be triggered for particular winning symbol combinations across the pay lines. In one embodiment, with the higher bet, the pay lines are evaluated both left to right and right to left, and both jackpots can be triggered during the same game. Additionally, all non-jackpot awards according to the winning symbol combinations from left to right and right to left are granted to the player.
With a single bet, only pay lines that are evaluated from left to right are evaluated and only the jackpot A is available to be won.
Accordingly, based on the jackpot A and B amounts, the player can strategically decide to make the single bet in order to have the possibility of winning the jackpot A or make the higher bet in order to have the possibility of winning jackpot A and jackpot B. In one embodiment, a portion of each bet goes to both jackpots. If more players make the single bet, the jackpot B will typically rise higher than jackpot A. This will cause players to then want to make the higher bet in order to have the possibility of also winning jackpot B. Accordingly, the gaming machines will generate more revenues using the present invention.
Due to this strategic aspect, the tension of the game is increased.
Additionally, in one embodiment, the player gets to decide what portion of her bet to fill jackpot A and/or jackpot B, as well as decide to play for jackpot A, jackpot B, or both.